Liquid separation



April 12, 1955 I H. B. LARGE 2,706,045

SEPARATING CONE FOR MATERIAL AND LIQUID SEPARATION Filed July 51, 1952IN VEN TOR:

A TTORNE X United States Patent O SEPARATING CONE FOR MATERIAL ANDLIQUID SEPARATION Harold B. Large, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July 31, 1952, Serial N0. 301,945

6 Claims. (Cl; 209-211) This invention is a materials separator and thegeneral object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for thepurpose of separating materials, such as ores and liquids, and liquidsof different specific gravities, by using centrifugal force as theseparating medium engendered within a conical chamber.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter asthis specification progresses.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing, which forms a partof this specification and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an apparatus embodying myinvention taken on line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of my invention taken on line 2--2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of my invention taken on line 3-3 of Fig.1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, in which the same parts aredesignated by the same reference characters in all of the figures, myinvention includes an inverted conical chamber 1 and an uppermostspiralduct guide housing 2, said chamber being formed in two sections,comprising a lower smaller frusto-conical section 3 and an upper largerfrusto-conical section 4. On the upper edge of the lower section 3 isformed an external annular flange 5, and on the lower edge of the uppersection 4 is formed an external annular flange 6, which coincides withand rests upon said flange 5, and said flanges 5 and 6 are detachablybolted together by bolts 7 and nuts 8, whereby the upper section 4 ofthe chamber 1 1S detachably secured at its lower end to the upper end ofsaid lower chamber section 3.

To the lower end of the lower section 3 of the chamber 1 is secured agland 9 formed with an external annular flange 10, through which flangea plurality of bolts 11 are extended downwardly in spaced circularrelation around said flange 10. A slide gland 12 is formed with anexternal annular flange 13 disposed a short distance below said flangein vertical alignment therewith, through which flanges 10 and 13 thebolts 11 extend, and nuts 14 are fitted on the lower ends of said boltsagainst the lower side of the flange 13 of said lower gland 12, wherebysaid lower gland 12 is detachably suspended from the upper gland 9. Anadjustable funnel 15 formed with an elongated depending outlet tube 16is disposed within the lower part of the chamber 1, with said funneltube slidably fitted in and extending through the glands 9 and 12 of theinverted lower conical chamber section 3. On the lower end of the funneloutlet tube 16 is located a middling outlet valve 17 for controlling thedischarge of the separated material from said lower end of saidfunnel'outlet tube 15.

In the spiral duct guide chamber housing 2, above the upper end of theupper section 4 of the inverted conical chamber 1, is mounted astationary spiral duct guide chamber 18 the spiral wall 19 of which issecured at its peripheral edge 20 to the inner side of said housing 2,preferably by welding said peripheral edge to said housing, while acentral overflow pipe 21 extends upwardly centrally in the chamber 1from a short distance above the funnel 15 through said spiral guidechamber 18, through the upper wall 22 of the housing 2 and through apair of superimposed glands 22a and 23 above said upper wall 22. Theglands 22a and 23 are formed with external annular flanges 24 and 25,respectively, and said glands are bolted together in superimposed spacedrelation by bolts 26 and nuts 27. To the upper end of the overflow pipe21 is connected an outwardly Patented Apr. 12, 1955 ice - end of adownwardly-extending waste overflow pipe section 31.

A tubular inlet 32 extends tangently into the upper end of the spiralduct guide chamber 18, and a downturned elbow 33 is connected to theouter end of said outlet, while the lower end of said elbow is connectedto the upper end of feed inlet pipe 34.

From one side of the lower end of the lower conical section 3 of theinverted conical chamber 1 leads a tubular concentrate outlet 35, to theouter end of which is connected one end of a downturned elbow 36, thelower end of which is connected to the upper end of a concentrate outletpipe 37, and to the lower end of which pipe is connected a middlingoutlet valve 38.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

The slurry or pulp is forced through the feed inlet 34 by a materialpump (not shown) into the upper end of the spiral channel duct guide 18and downwardly through said guide out of the lower end thereof into theinverted conical chamber 1, in which, by the velocity of the pulpattained, a centrifugal action is created that forces the heavierparticles of the pulp to the outer perimeter of said conical chamber 1.The funnel 15 extends from the extreme lower end of the conical chamber1 and is adjustable at the gland 9, so that the funnel may be placed ina position with relation to the lower end of the overflow pipe 21, wherea desired separation of the materials can be made. The heavier particlesof the material will by-pass the upper edge of the funnel and leave theconical chamber 1 through the concentrate outlet 35, elbow 36,concentrate outlet pipe 37 and middling outlet valve 38. The middlingsof the slurry will leave the conical chamber 1 through the funnel 15,funnel outlet tube 16 and middling outlet valve 17. At the extreme lowerend of the concentrate and middling outlets a molasses gate valve 38 isused to keep the products as lean of water as possible. The overflow iscarried away from the conical chamber by the central overflow pipe 21entering said chamber through the upper end thereof. The centraloverflow pipe 21 is adjustable at the upper gland 23, so that it can beraised or lowered to accomplish the desired result. The overflow ispulled up the overflow pipe 21 by suction created by elevating theconical chamber 1 a certain distance above the overflow outlet.

Applicant contends that his invention is better than any separator sofar on the market, and that he has made an original invention in so farthat he has three separations and particularly in the manner in whichthe concentrate is carried olf the side of the conical chamber at thebottom thereof. Then the use of the funnel that will make a closerseparation as it can be brought to the extreme sides of the conicalchamber, resulting in a very fine separation. A set of funnels that canbe placed at higher elevations in the conical chamber are part of myinvention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for separating materials including an inverted conicalchamber, a spiral guide duct located at the upper end of said chamberwith its outlet end leading into said upper end of said chamber, and itsinlet located at its opposite end to be connected to feed inlet means, afunnel formed with a depending outlet tube, said funnel being located inthe lower part of said chamber with its said outlet tube slidablyextending through the lower end of said chamber for adjusting saidfunnel up or down and the periphery of said funnel further away from orcloser to the wall of said chamber, a concentrate outlet leading from,the lower end of said chamber and an overflow pipe leading upwardlyfrom a point above said funnel through said spiral guide duct andthrough the upper end of the apparatus.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including glands on the lower end ofsaid chamber through which the outlet tube of the funnel slidablyextends.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a middling outlet valveconnected to the lower end of the outlet tube of the funnel.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a middling outlet valve andmeans for connecting said valve to the concentrate outlet.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the chamber is made in twosections, and means for detachably connecting said sections together.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including means 01- adjusting theoverflow pipe toward or away from the 10 unne References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Robinson May 1, 1906 StebbinsFeb. 16, 1932 Soyez Apr. 9, 1935 Laughlin Dec. 12, 1944 Scott June 5,1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 8, 1948

